The BMW X1 has a new entry-level version in Argentina after the automaker’s limited run of diesel hybrid models sold out almost immediately. The new X1 sDrive18i Efficient uses a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine and becomes the most affordable X1 available to Argentine shoppers, although it costs more than the diesel model it replaces.
A More Affordable Gas-Powered BMW X1
The new BMW X1 sDrive18i Efficient is powered by BMW’s B38 engine, a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder producing 156 horsepower and 230 Nm (170 lb-ft) of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Unlike the diesel model it replaces, the gasoline-powered X1 does not feature 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance. BMW is positioning the sDrive18i Efficient as an efficiency-focused version of the X1, although the company has not published a fuel-consumption figure in its announcement.
Despite being the cheapest version, the X1 sDrive18i Efficient comes with a relatively generous list of standard equipment. It includes xLine exterior details, 18-inch wheels and BMW’s Curved Display, which combines a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with a 10.7-inch central touchscreen.
Standard equipment also includes Parking Assistant, a reversing camera, lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning with braking, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power tailgate and BMW ConnectedDrive services.
The New X1 Costs More Than the Diesel
The gasoline-powered X1 does not actually carry a lower price than the diesel model it replaces. BMW has priced the X1 sDrive18i Efficient at $48,500, compared with $44,900 for the outgoing X1 sDrive20d Efficient.
However, the diesel allocation has completely sold out, making the sDrive18i Efficient the new entry point to BMW’s SUV lineup in Argentina. It also remains considerably less expensive than the other X1 versions available in the market.
The X1 sDrive18i Comfort costs $54,900, while the more powerful xDrive20i xLine is priced at $71,900. The plug-in-hybrid X1 xDrive25e xLine sits at the top of the current range at $75,900.
The Diesel X1 Sold Out Almost Immediately
The X1 sDrive20d Efficient that preceded the new gasoline model was introduced in March and represented BMW’s first diesel offering in Argentina in more than a decade.
Its 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engine worked with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to produce 163 hp and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. BMW quoted combined fuel consumption of roughly 5.0 liters per 100 kilometers, or about 47 mpg U.S.
BMW Group Argentina had only 105 examples available for sale. The limited number was tied to the applicable customs program, under which 105 vehicles were the total number the company qualified to import.
As an “electrified” vehicle, the diesel hybrid qualified for significant tax benefits, which at least partially explains its lower price. The entire allocation reportedly sold out almost as soon as the vehicle was announced, possibly even before, making the diesel X1’s return to Argentina exceptionally brief.
The 105-unit quota had been approved in July 2025, before the vehicles were imported and released for sale in early 2026.
A Practical Follow-Up to the Diesel
The new X1 sDrive18i Efficient is therefore less of a direct replacement for the diesel model than a practical follow-up. Buyers give up the diesel’s substantial torque, mild-hybrid assistance and fuel economy while paying $3,600 more.
Unlike the short-lived sDrive20d, however, BMW’s new entry-level X1 is intended to remain available as part of the automaker’s SUV lineup in Argentina.
